Teaching yourself new languages?

[Gaul]

I'm going to have some time on my hands soon, and I've always wanted to pick up other languages. Right now, Spanish would be rather useful as I live in the 4th largest city in the nation, and the majority of it's occupants are Hispanic.

I know there are books out there, but can anyone recommend one? More importantly, has anyone here done this before? I know I have one advantage: several spanish television stations at my disposal.

 

[konichiwa]

I've never tried it -- but I learned French as a High School course, and I would imagine that teaching yourself takes a LOT of discipline. Also, it will probably be very hard to learn a new language without having someone to go ASK when you have a question, like a teacher. But good luck.

 

[Gaul]

Fortunately, I have several people to ask for help. My dad is fluent and my roomie is half-hispanic. Now I just need some direction

 

[urbantechie]

Learn Vietnamese. Spanish is hard since you have to memorize every verb and how to conjugate it etc. I wonder why I have a 14% in that class...(Spanish 2)

 

[Zoltar]

The spanish stations always have hot women on it, so you may be distracted.

Go to the book store and get the learn on tape/cd series.

There's lessons on the computer as well. Try amazon.

 

[loogie]

du ma.

 

[palad]

I always had an easy time with Spanish, vocabulary and conjugations came easy to me. I can't recommend any specific book, try to get a reliable Spanish-to-English dictionary, and also a book of verb conjugations (I have a small one that will fit in a pocket). The best advice I can give you is to speak it as much as possible with native speakers -- that will get you up to speed faster than anything I know.